


Rory's Tale

by nostalgia



Series: The Fine Tradition of Fatherhood [3]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Companion Piece, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-10
Updated: 2014-07-10
Packaged: 2018-02-08 05:43:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1928805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nostalgia/pseuds/nostalgia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Companion-piece to On The Proper Education of Time Lords.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rory's Tale

Every six months Rory waits up most of the night. He says he can't sleep when the Doctor's due to visit, but really he's waiting. He's seen the Doctor mix up AD and BC, AM and PM is nothing. 

He's half-asleep with a cup of coffee and a nursing magazine when the Doctor finally makes the obvious mistake. Both are forgotten as the TARDIS slowly materialises in the kitchen. 

The Doctor steps out and looks around. "Where are they?"

"Asleep," says Rory. "You got the time wrong."

The Doctor checks his watch. "Oh." He turns back to the TARDIS to correct his mistake.

"I've been waiting for you," says Rory, before the alien can vanish again. "I think we should talk, man to man."

The Doctor turns back to him. He is silent and still, and then he nods. "Yes. Yes, that might be an idea." He sits down at the kitchen table and waits for conversation. 

"How can you do this?" asks Rory, the question escaping before he means to say anything. "How can you be so cold?"

"He's my son," says the Doctor, as though he needs no other answer.

"He's mine," says Rory. "I raised him, I was there when he was born. Where we you when we he was sick? When he started school? I don't know what you and Amy... I don't _care_ what you and Amy did, Martin's my son."

"Thank you."

Rory realises there are tears in his eyes and he blinks them back. He refuses to cry in front of the Doctor, not this time. "What?"

"Thank you for taking care of him. I knew you would, you're a good man, but I'm still grateful."

"That's... I don't care. As far as I'm concerned you're just a sperm donor. I'm not going to let you take him."

The Doctor leans forwards. "And how do you, Rory Williams, intend to stop me?"

He hasn't the slightest idea. "I'll think of something."

"Amy can come with us," says the Doctor, like he's making a generous offer.

"What about me?"

"Amy can come with us," he repeats.

"I thought you liked me."

"I did. I do. I just don't want Martin getting confused about things." The Doctor stands. "Oh, and you want to ask about the conception."

He doesn't. He does. He's always wanted to know and he's never wanted to know. "She said it was just the once. She wouldn't tell me anything else. I should respect that."

"But you won't."

"You don't know me as well as you think."

"This is your only chance to find out," says the Doctor, spreading his hands. 

Rory wants to ask him so, so badly. He wants to know everything, every detail. He wants to know why she'd betray him, why his son isn't really his son, why... 

"No," he says. "I don't want to know."

 

You don't get called the Oncoming Storm by being _nice_. This hits Rory several years too late, while he's searching the internet for a way to fight back. Not that the net is any use, because everyone loves the Doctor, don't they?

One day he comes home and there's a woman in his house. She flashes a UNIT ID and holds out her hand. "I'm Martha Jones. And you've been a bad boy."

So he explains, tells her all of it. He looks skeptical for a lot of, but then who'd believe that the Doctor would steal a child, even his own?

"Can you help me?" he says when he's finished. 

"No."

"What? Weren't you even listening?"

"I'm sorry," she says, "but he's done a lot for this planet. For every planet. What do you expect us to do, lock him up?"

"Help us!"

"How?"

He can't believe this is happening. "Don't you care? Doesn't it bother you that he'd do something like that?"

"He's done a lot worse than this, Mr Williams. He's done some terrible things and we don't ever even mention them. Because we need him. You and me and everyone on this planet."

"Martin's just collateral damage to you, isn't he?"

"I'm sorry. I really am sorry. Next time you see him," she starts, and Rory hopes maybe she's changed her mind, maybe she's got an answer.

"Yes?"

"Tell him to answer his phone."

 

He can't stand it any longer. "I'm going out."

Amy looks up at him. "You can't. The Doctor'll be here soon."

"I don't want to see him." He bends down to hug Martin. "You be good for your mum," he says. 

"Aren't you coming with us?"

"I'll be there in a bit," he lies. "I just need to sort some stuff out here first. Then we'll all be together again."

"Okay."

He hugs Amy, kisses her. "I'm sorry," she says. 

"Not your fault," he tells her. "It's nobody's fault that he's... him."

 

The police come, of course, and Rory manages to get arrested as the obvious suspect before they decide Amy's just run off with another man and let him go. He goes along with it, because what's he supposed to tell them? That an alien in a time-machine ran off with his wife and son?

The news spreads, Rory is given sympathetic looks and some time off work. 

_"His wife ran off with another man, some doctor or something. Took the kid with her. He hasn't been the same since, poor bloke."_

He knows they're never coming back, but still he waits for the sound of the TARDIS. He's good at waiting, he'll wait all his life if he has to.


End file.
